State Release of Civil Society Report on Sustainable Development Goals at Samarthan's Head Office, Bhopal

Sanitation Initiatives Taken in Government Schools in Kanker District, Chattisgarh

Women's Training for Conducting Social Audits as "Village Social Animators" in Rajpur, Barwani

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Samarthan-Centre for Development Support is a leading non-profit organisation working in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh since 1995. We believe that good governance is foundation for sustained and equitable development and effective participation by all stakeholders, especially the marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged groups, is necessary for promoting good governance.

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Debu Bhai of Bapcha village ran from pillars to post to mobilise the release of 2nd instalment of the of an ‘housing support scheme’ called ‘Indira Aws Yojana’ . The scheme provides Rs. 75000 in two installments to poor households for constructing houses. He got first installement and erased his ‘old’house to make way for New ONE. However, the second installment did not come through. He lived under the unconstructed roof and erased walls, visinting officials for release of second installments.

Devri Panchayat like rest of the Bundelkhand was reeling under drought. The Panchayat president were making all out efforts to somehow provide the water. It was proposed by the community that a dug well can solve the problem, but it will be difficult to dig a well so fast and in this severe heat. Give the situation, it was proposed by the Panchayat that a well that could not be completed as delayed wages forced the Panchayat to stop the work, and this work can be restarted. The Panchayat assured that it will follow up the payment.

A play ground was levelled under the scheme in the Panchayat . However levelling was done very poorly. The Social audit in Chindwara revealed that first the material for levelling was not laid and road rollers worked only for half a day. The payment however, was much more material and roller –days. The Gram Sabha objected to the bills. The resolution was passed that the secretary who has fraudulently siphoned off the money should redo the levelling work or formal complaint will be lodged against him. The secretary agreed to do the work.

Mamta ,from a Dalit household could just make her ends meet, however, the fine equilibrium of her already challenging life was thrown out of gear. Her husband died in an accident in October 2016. It was then she came across the ‘ Oracle information volunteer’ wh o informed her on the ‘Family benefit Scheme’ , targeted towards poor households that loose their major bread winner. The volunteer also helped her to write the application and submitted it to block office. The application was also followed online till the time she received Rs. 25000/- .

A common finding across Panchayats has been that there been deviations in the site of construction from what has been sanctioned in the approved in the ‘provisioned technical sanctions’. Though formal technical approvals have been obtained for poor/Dalit/ Adivasi hamlets, the construction has taken place in upper class and caste mohallas , usually near the houses of influential families.